Tag: The Art of John Alvin

The Art of Blade Runner by John Alvin

When a future sci-fi classic and an sci-fi-loving art geek collided

ArtInsights Gallery just got the last two original paintings representing Blade Runner created by the campaign artist who designed and painted the official movie poster in 1982. John Alvin is the illustrator for the iconic image used to promote what would become one of the classics of the science fiction film genre. He made only a few paintings featuring the characters from Ridley Scott’s film, and we can now proudly say we have or have sold every one of them. The last full color mixed media images of Blade Runner art are in the gallery right now.

A DUSTIN HOFFMAN DECKARD?

Imagine Dustin Hoffman as Deckard. It’s hard to do, and yet, he was one of the major actors not only considered but attached to the film early on. Also in play were Paul Newman, Al Pacino, and Gene Hackman. When Hoffman left the project over artistic differences, the filmmakers settled on Harrison Ford, who was just finishing Raiders of the Lost Ark at the time.

JOHN ALVIN & RIDLEY SCOTT SHARED A LOVE OF ARCHITECTURE

John Alvin wasn’t the first choice to make the movie poster, either. It’s not that they had someone else in mind, but rather, that the marketing folk had ideas they wanted to use. Alvin was in on an early meeting that included Ridley Scott, at which point he told Scott that he thought the architecture was really important to the poster and needed to be a major feature. Scott stopped what he was doing and saying and turned to John Alvin, asking him to explain what he had in mind. He explained what he had in mind for the poster, which would include Harrison Ford as Deckard, replicants Roy Batty and Rachael, with the architecture and gear featured in the film figured prominently. He would use what he called “heavy light” (what Disney executives would later consider part of “Alvin-izing”) to add a bit of film noir atmosphere. Though ultimately Roy was not part of the key art for the movie poster, the rest of John’s ideas can be seen in the famous finished poster image.

He would revisit the idea of Roy Batty as an essential part of the poster later, when he created an anniversary image that made Roy the dramatic central focus of the art.

Only four full color John Alvin Blade Runner original paintings were painted later representing Blade Runner. All are shown in the book The Art of John Alvin:

JOHN ALVIN DID VERY LITTLE BLADE RUNNER ART

A page in the book The Art of John Alvin shows his Blade Runner images

The world and look in Blade Runner was very much influenced by futuristic architecture, as well as what Ridley Scott called, “medieval meets electronics”. He felt validated in this blend of aesthetics in seeing the harbor in Hong Kong, which had both junks and skyscrapers.

BLACK & PEACH WITH A PURPOSE

Of course another major influence was film noir. As Ridley Scott said, “The hunter falls in love with his quarry.” Rachael is not strictly a traditional femme fatale, though Deckard falling in love with her certainly could lead to his downfall. In John Alvin’s Blade Runner movie poster, the image of her hovers just below Deckard’s gun-filled hands, the smoke of her cigarette drawing the eye to both the lead character and the architecture featured in the poster.

Sharp light, a broody hot femme, guns, orange, peach and black = film noir awesomeness!

FILM NOIR STYLE SAVES THE DAY

Alvin’s Blade Runner poster is as far off model as he could have gone without losing the spirit of these characters. John Alvin himself talked about that. When he was painting Harrison Ford as Deckard, the only source material he had was a postage stamp-sized image of him in costume. He had to get a jewel’s loop and a magnifying glass to draw him. He determined that utilizing the stylized yet gritty representation so popular in film noir movie posters, with their sharply lit faces and angled light, would be a way of problem-solving or working around the lack of good images of the actors in costume. Even the shards of light in the Blade Runner art are an updated take on the way light was used in the early days promoting film noir.

These are some of the very few graphites presented by John Alvin that led to the finished Blade Runner key art.
John Alvin Blade Runner 10th Anniversary image “I’ve Seen Things”

Once the go-ahead from Ridley Scott happened for the John Alvin Blade Runner key art, there were only a few detailed graphites drawn before they chose a finished design. There are often many stages required to get to the final look of a poster. Collectors and fans, no doubt, wish there were more original images. John Alvin wished that, too, since Blade Runner was one of his favorite movies of all time. Though we aren’t 100% sure, we’ve been told people have seen the original art for the poster, and it’s with Ridley Scott. The original art for the 10th anniversary image, which features a much larger Roy Batty in the poster, went at auction over 20 years ago, for almost $100,000, a record for the time.

Once photoshop made traditionally illustrated movie posters largely a thing of the past, John Alvin and his wife Andrea moved to across the country to be nearer to their daughter, who was building a career in theater and around Broadway. He started creating images for the fine art market, and became quickly very much in demand to movie lovers who knew his work and new collectors who were just starting to see the value of illustration art as “real art”, and original movie poster art as an important aspect of film history.

Since George Lucas had been one of his biggest collectors for years, and had commissioned a Star Wars art collection that John entitled, “The Force of Influence”, there were lots of studies for that work that art galleries were able to access and buy to offer to collectors.

JOHN ALVIN REVISITS A CLASSIC

Blade Runner was a different story. It was only because John loved the film so much that he decided to revisit the film and create a few images to develop ideas he wasn’t able to play with when he worked on the Blade Runner movie poster. One of the things he wanted to do was design a poster image that had Roy Batty as the biggest figure in the art, while still incorporating the architecture. The original Blade Runner art we now have in the gallery on display and for sale includes this piece, and as you can see, John was able to use better source material. This allowed the characters to be more on-model. He wove the architecture into Deckard’s jacket, but also used points of light to draw the eye across one of concept artist Syd Mead’s famous “spinner” crafts so recognizable from the film.

In this Blade Runner original illustration art by John Alvin, Roy Batty looks almost like a specter who is haunting Deckard, and making him question his own humanity. Last Blade Runner available for sale from the John Alvin Estate!

There was also interest on John’s part to create image that included Pris, played by Daryl Hannah, who is not only a fan favorite, but represents a strong female character, albeit a replicant known as a “basic pleasure model”. He also loved the character Eldon Tyrell, who he felt expressed the quality of hubris, especially as he was playing God in experimenting with Rachael in creating her, using memories from his own niece, but not telling her she was a replicant. Alvin saw Tyrell as a tragic figure, and wanted to create an image with Tyrell and his “children”, including Roy Batty, his prodigal son. Unfortunately, he never got a chance to finish this graphite in full color.

The flow of his image gets across the conflict between Deckard and Batty, but also captures Tyrell, the father, and his replicant family. *The original is sold.

In addition to the conflict between Deckard and Batty, John believed the fascination Deckard and Rachael held for each other, though doomed from the start, was one of the aspects of the film that held the story together the most. Much like the film noir plots from the earlier 20th century, he felt their magnetism for each other is part of what made good on what he called the “promise of a great experience”. John always said that’s what he strived to deliver as a movie poster artist.

The love scene from which John Alvin got the name for the below original, called “Kiss Me”, is accompanied by music by the great score created by Vangelis, with the tenor sax solo performed by renowned British musician Dick Morrissey. The plaintive notes on the sax express the mix of idealism and fatalism in their relationship. John Alvin, who loved Vangelis’s score and played his hard-to-get copy of it often, strived to capture that duality. He also believed their story was inseparable from the world they lived in, so he wanted that expressed as well in the art.

John Alvin Blade Runner original art “Kiss Me” shows the shadow and light representative of Deckard and Rachael, and their starcrossed lives. *The original is sold.

The Blade Runner art itself is like all of John Alvin’s original art. It has a way of breaking apart close up and coming together when seen from a distance. Seeing the art in person, it is exciting to be able to dissect how he achieved the emotionally intimate quality for which his illustration art is most well-known. He was someone who did not like to paint in front of others, keeping secrets about how he reached his artistic goals, both big and small. He used any and every tool and medium at his disposal to translate what he had in his mind into physical art. It’s a shame there isn’t more Blade Runner art by John Alvin out there. He passed away over 10 years ago, and even with the release of 2017’s Blade Runner 2049, the 1982 film only becomes more of a classic. Though the film didn’t win a lot of awards, cinephiles did have the good sense to give it a Hugo Award fro Best Dramatic Presentation in 1983. Stop by ArtInsights while the art is still in the gallery to see some of John Alvin’s masterwork. If interested in the only original official Blade Runner piece for sale created by the movie poster artist, CHECK THIS PAGE.

Read an interview with Ridley Scott about Blade Runner

HERE with Harlan Kennedy. HERE with WIRED about a director’s cut.

You can read the original screenplay HERE.

John Alvin for Every Collector

With the release of The Art of John Alvinart lovers everywhere are eager to collect John’s work while they still can. ArtInsights is your exclusive source of John Alvin’s original artwork, and we also have the biggest collection of his limited editions. No matter what your budget, we have something by John that will enhance your walls that you will love!

Price Range: $150.00 – $450.00

Star Wars: The Cold of HothStar Wars – The Cold of Hoth LE Giclee on Paper ($150) Blade Runner - I've Seen ThingsI’ve Seen Things LE Giclee on Paper ($150) or Canvas ($450) Alien LE Giclee on Paper ($300)

 

Price Range: $475.00 – $1000.00

Ariel (by John Alvin)Ariel LE Giclee on Canvas ($495) Jabba and Friends by John AlvinThere Will Be No Bargain LE Giclee on Canvas ($595) Star Wars Episode IV Decade IIIOfficial Star Wars Celebration Episode IV Decade III Lithograph ($750)

Price Range: $4000.00 – $5500.00

Pinocchio: Blue Fairy - original production concept artPinocchio: Blue Fairy Original Production Concept Art ($4500) Kuzco and Bridge - original production color concept artKuzco and Bridge Original Production Concept Art ($5500) E.T. Small Hands 6 - original production concept artE.T. Sketch Small Hands Production Concept Art ($4800)

Price Range: $8,000+

JAOM0173 Revenge of the Jedi #5Revenge of the Jedi: McQuarrie Graphite Comp ($8800) JAOM0189 Bittersweet EmbraceBittersweet Embrace (Call for price) Star Wars Concert poster on toned paperStar Wars Concert Poster Production Art ($18,000)

 

For a more comprehensive selection of John’s artwork, please visit here.

ARTINSIGHTS SHOWS ART AND PRESS FOR THE ART OF JOHN ALVIN!

Here is the new rehung gallery section, a tiny bit of the original art we have of John Alvin, along with his red shoes
Here is a little bit of our John Alvin original art and posters, just a small percentage of the original art we have of John Alvin, along with his red shoes, and the gorgeous new book! WE LOVE TRADITIONAL ILLUSTRATION ART! WE LOVE YOU, JOHN!

As some of you who follow The Art of John Alvin, not the book, but the actual art, which is represented by ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery, know quite well, Andrea Alvin has been working for several years writing, compiling, and getting permissions for a (hopefully first) book on John Alvin’s career and art.  It is being released by Titan Books.   We have been thrilled to see not only the attention that Titan has given it in terms of promotion, but also the interest, well deserved, by the press worldwide.

Author Andrea Alvin and Leslie of ArtInsights at San Diego Comic-Con
Author Andrea Alvin and Leslie of ArtInsights at San Diego Comic-Con

John Alvin in ArtInsights with members of the Empire...
John Alvin in ArtInsights with members of the Empire…

We are told this is only the first round, and more articles will appear as the actual release date happens, but we are going to keep a list of all the articles and reviews, good or (goddess forbid!) bad, right here.  We hope this will not only allow for long overdue recognition of John as one of the foremost artists who ever worked in the film industry, but also wider acceptance of traditional illustration not only as important in film history, but also as a viable option today to promote and brand new movies in an artistic and creative way. There is and was only one man who painted like John Alvin.  He was able to do that thing everyone at Disney called Alvin-izing.

This is the cover of the awesome book releasing from Titan
This is the cover of the awesome book releasing from Titan.

My friend Travis of Punch Drunk Critics has a connection with Amazon and gets a teeny bit back from you buying from him and we like to support him…so if you’re buying from Amazon, click here!    Here are the links so far, and we’ll be adding to them as we find more, please let us know if you find one we don’t know about!

http://www.wired.com/2014/08/alvin-movie-poster-art/

http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/8/5979879/john-alvin-movie-posters

http://www.slashfilm.com/unused-jurassic-park-posters-john-alvin/

http://www.trektoday.com/content/2014/08/the-art-of-john-alvin/

http://parade.condenast.com/325199/viannguyen/exclusive-never-before-seen-alternate-movie-posters-for-e-t-jurassic-park-the-goonies-and-more/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/unseen-jurassic-park-batman-posters-724001

http://flavorwire.com/471037/flavorwire-exclusive-the-art-of-john-alvin-showcases-movie-poster-rarities-from-blade-runner-to-jurassic-park

http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/08/08/unused-jurassic-park-and-other-posters-by-john-alvin-2171692?lt_source=external,manual#!byDA6k

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/08/07/check-out-these-incredible-unused-jurassic-park-posters

http://www.411mania.com/movies/news/331343/More-Unused-John-Alvin-Posters-Hit-The-Internet:-Batman-Forever,-Darkman,-More.htm

http://www.movies.com/movie-news/john-alvin-unused-posters-jurassic-park/16494

http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2014/08/07/must-see-unused-jurassic-park-posters

http://screencrush.com/unused-jurassic-park-posters/

http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/check-out-these-fantastic-unused-jurassic-park-posters-222

http://collider.com/unused-jurassic-park-posters-batman-posters/

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/JoshWildingNewsAndReviews/news/?a=105541

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/check-out-a-bunch-of-old-unused-poster-designs-for-jurassic-park/

http://batman-news.com/2014/08/07/exclusive-never-seen-poster-design-tim-burtons-batman/

https://ca.movies.yahoo.com/news/unseen-jurassic-park-batman-posters-unveiled-book-203503448.html

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/check-out-unused-poster-design-for-tim-burtons-batman-20140807

https://ca.movies.yahoo.com/news/unseen-jurassic-park-batman-posters-unveiled-book-203503448.html

http://thefilmstage.com/news/over-two-dozen-never-before-seen-unused-posters-for-steven-spielbergs-jurassic-park/

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/08/07/check-out-these-never-before-seen-posters-for-blade-runner-batman-forever-and-more

http://www.punchdrunkcritics.com/2014/08/awesome-unseen-jurassic-park-and-batman.html

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/KingPatel/news/?a=105565

http://www.empireonline.com/features/John-Alvin-Posters

Some images of the art we have in the gallery and corresponding pages in the book with the art:

starwars concert art at ArtInsights by john alvin
Original Star Wars Concert art at ArtInsights ~ The Art of John Alvin

predator art at ArtInisights by john alvin
Predator Finish at ArtInsights ~ The Art of John Alvin

beauty and the beast johnalvin
Beauty and the Beast at ArtInsights Gallery ~ The Art of John Alvin

aladdin art at ArtInsights by John Alvin
Aladdin art at ArtInsights ~ The Art of John Alvin

pinocchio by johnalvin at ArtInsights
Pinocchio graphite at ArtInsights ~ The Art of John Alvin

lion king graphite by johnalvin at ArtInsights
The Lion King graphite at ArtInsights ~ The Art of John Alvin

The reviews for The Art of John Alvin are starting to come in (as it just got released in England, and will be released in the states August 28th), and they are GREAT!

OUR FAVORITE although they are ALL AWESOME!!:
ROGER EBERT SITE
http://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/the-art-of-john-alvin-captures-lost-art-of-movie-poster-magic

YAY go Den of Geek!! They know quality when they see it…
DEN OF GEEK
http://www.denofgeek.com/books-comics/john-alvin/31803/the-art-of-john-alvin-review

CITY OF FILMS
http://www.cityoffilms.com/reel-news/book-review-the-art-of-john-alvin/

FILMORIA
http://www.filmoria.co.uk/2014/08/the-art-of-john-alvin-book-review/

BGG AFTER DARK
http://bggafterdark.biogamergirl.com/2014/08/the-art-of-john-alvin-book-review.html

RETROIST
http://www.retroist.com/2014/08/25/the-art-of-john-alvin-review/

ROTOSCOPERS
http://www.rotoscopers.com/2014/08/25/review-the-art-of-john-alvin/

ADVENTURES IN POOR TASTE
http://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/2014/08/25/the-art-of-john-alvin-review/

GIANT FREAKING ROBOT
http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/scifi/book-review-art-john-alvin.html

ANIMATION SCOOP on INDIEWIRE
http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationscoop/book-review-the-art-of-john-alvin-20140826

HYPABLE!
http://www.hypable.com/2014/08/26/the-art-of-john-alvin-book-review/

johnalvin-bladerunner

John Alvin Originals at ArtInsights

John Alvin Originals CAN BE FOUND AT THEIR OFFICIAL GALLERY HOME!

ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery has exclusive rights to selling all official original art from the estate of John Alvin. If looking for available art through official channels directly from his estate,

please click here to go to this link!

Such great press for The Art of John Alvin! read our ArtInsights blog about it…

by clicking here!

This is the cover of the awesome book releasing from Titan
This is the cover of the awesome book releasing from Titan

Here is the new rehung gallery section, a tiny bit of the original art we have of John Alvin, along with his red shoes
Here is the new rehung gallery section, a tiny bit of the original art we have of John Alvin, along with his red shoes

John Alvin in ArtInsights with members of the Empire...
John Alvin in ArtInsights with members of the Empire…

We at ArtInsights have been proud to be have known John Alvin and are honored to be connected as the official conduit from artist, through his family, to collector. There is a special interaction inherent to the experience of collecting original art, and we believe when movie lovers can enjoy a piece of art by such a renown artist such as John Alvin from any movie on which he created images, they become part of celebrating the important aspect of film history that campaign art represents. Collecting posters is a wonderful thing, but having a piece of art used in the making of the poster is something those who have begun a collection of such can tell you is a truly joyful experience. John Alvin was a lovely man, humble, warm, and kind, who always had time for his fans and blossoming artists. We miss him and are thrilled The Art of John Alvin will create new fans and increase awareness about him throughout the world.

We hope if you are in the Washington DC area or would like to see a collection of original art by John Alvin you’ll come to our gallery where you can see them in person. Thanks for your interest!

Leslie Combemale
ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery